Luminous Printing Using Fluorescent Ink Layer Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current printing technologies fail to produce images that appear substantially equivalent under daylight and UV black light conditions, and lack the ability to create images invisible under normal daylight but visible in full color under UV black light.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for luminous printing that separates an original image into multiple layers, associating different sets of channels with each layer, allowing for the generation of images that appear equivalent under daylight and UV black light conditions, or invisible under daylight but visible under UV black light, using fluorescent ink or pigments and specific color channel combinations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional printing methods are used, then images can be printed with standard colors, but the images cannot appear different under daylight versus UV black light conditions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage appearance under different lighting conditionsVSAvoidprinting process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The original image is separated into multiple layers, with each layer assigned to different color channels (e.g., cyan, magenta, yellow, black). This segmentation allows selective application of fluorescent and non-fluorescent inks to different image components, enabling the image to display differently under daylight versus UV black light conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the printed image use different ink properties - some areas use fluorescent inks that glow under UV light, while other areas use non-fluorescent inks that remain visible only under daylight. This local differentiation of material properties creates the dual-condition visibility effect.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Illumination intensity

If fluorescent inks are used to create images visible under UV black light, then the images become visible in full color under UV light, but the images may not appear equivalent under daylight conditions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisibility under UV black lightVSAvoidcolor fidelity across lighting conditions

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The printing system dynamically adjusts color channel assignment based on the desired effect. For images that should be visible under both conditions, the system assigns specific channels to fluorescent inks while maintaining corresponding non-fluorescent channels for daylight visibility, creating a dynamic response to different lighting environments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the optical parameters of the printed image by selecting inks with different fluorescent properties for different color channels. This parameter modification allows the same physical print to exhibit different visual characteristics under different illumination conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If images are made invisible under normal daylight using fluorescent inks, then the images become visible under UV black light, but the images cannot be seen at all under daylight conditions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinvisible under daylight, visible under UV lightVSAvoidimage visibility in normal conditions

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system inverts the conventional approach by making the image invisible under normal daylight conditions and visible only under UV black light. This is achieved by using fluorescent inks that do not reflect visible light but emit under UV illumination, effectively reversing the typical visibility pattern.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables the creation of images with high-fidelity colors and visual effects such as depth illusion, with images being visible or invisible as desired under different lighting conditions, utilizing fluorescent inks and advanced color channel management.

Implementation Method 1

using fluorescent ink or pigments and specific color channel combinations

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluorescence: Fluorescence

Data Source

PatentUS9066051B2Luminous printing

Publication Date: 2015.06.23 ADAMS WESLEY T

AI summary

A method and a device are disclosed for luminous printing of an original image using fluorescent ink or other fluorescent display pigments. In some embodiments, the original image is separated into multiple layers, including at least a brightness layer and an inverse brightness (or darkness) layer, by applying extracted brightness data and inverse brightness data, to the original image, respectively. Each of the layers is associated with a set of corresponding printing channels. The sets of printing channels are applied by a printing device to print the original image on a print medium, such as paper, mylar, fabric, and other print surfaces. Multiple visual effects may be realized using the aforementioned process, including fluorescent images that are only visible under UV (Ultra Violet) or black light, images with high-fidelity colors under daylight and dark conditions, and shadow effects such as depth illusion.